Hammer for fire-arms



(No Model.)

S. S. HOPKINS.

HAMMER FOR FIRE ARMS. v No. 311,323. Patented Jan. 27, 1885.

Witneeseslmfrflnw Ilnrre TA'rEs A'IENI i FFICE.

HAMMER FOR FIRE-ARMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,323, dated January27, l88 5.

Application filed November 5, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAIWIUEL S. HOPKINS, of the city of Norwich, countyof New London, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Fire- Arms, which improvements are fully setforth and described in the following specification, reference being hadto the drawings which form a part of and accompany said specification.

My improvements relate more particularly to the hammer of revolvingfire-arms and to a means for holding said hammer in a given positionwhile in the act of loading the arm; but they may be also used withadvantage in rifles, shot-guns, and in all classes of small-arms.

My immediate object in this invention is to provide a hammer whoseSO-CilllGt comb or rearwardly{extending thumb piece may be foldedagainst or within the hammer proper, when not in use, so that there willbe no projecting parts to catch as the arm is entered in a holster orpocket.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 represents a revolver-frame withloclework assembled and having my improvements attached. Fig. 2 is asectional view of the hammer detached, showing the spring-pressed plugwhich acts to retain the comb in its closed position. Fig. 3 is anenlarged cross-section of a portion of one side of the revolver-frame online or of Fig. 1, showing the plug 0, by which the hammer is held in alialfcocked position while loading.

The letter A represents the revolver-frame, and E the hammer, saidhammer being supported in said frame by the screw a.

The general form and operation of hammer E, aside from the folding comb,is identical with hammers as now in common use.

In the construction of my new form of hammer the upper portion forwardof the. arc, which at full cock enters the frame, is either grooved orstraddled to form a hinge-joint, in which is fitted the lower end of thecomb C. The forward side of comb C is preferably of the same outline asthat portion of the hammer which it engages when folded.

As a simple and inexpensive means to retain the comb in its foldedposition, I have drilled said comb from its lower or hinge end,

as shown in Fig. 2, and have inserted therein a spring, I), and plug (Z,the spring acting with a constant tendency to force the plug forward onthe inclined surface 72. of the hammer, and thus hold the comb inengagement with its seat, except while in use, as in the act of cockingor partially cooking the arm by hand.

There have been constructed heretofore small-arms having a concealedhammer, and those which, while the hammer proper is in sight, have nocomb or thumb-piece by which said hammer may be cocked by pressure ofthe thumb; consequently such forms of hammers have been available onlyin self-cocking arms.

If a half-cock or safety-notch is provided in a hannnerless self-cockingarm, it is impossible to lower the hammer after loading, and if nohalf-cock notch is provided there is, so far as I am acquainted with thestate of the art, no convenient and safe way to revolve the cylinder toload or to discharge empty shells.

Vith my present improvement the hammernose may be lowered to a safeposition between the cartridgeheads as readily as if the hammer wasprovided with a solid comb, and I am able thus to produce either adouble-acting or self cocking arm without the objectionable projectingsolid comb.

Vhen it is desired to construct a self-cocking arm only, the sear may bedispensed with, in which case I provide a spring'pressed plug, 0, (seeFi 3,) at a convenient point inthe side of the frame.

\Vhen it is desired to load the arm, the pivoted comb C is opened andthe hammer forced rearward until the hole It in the hammer is broughtopposite to plug 0, when said plug is pressed forward into said hole.The belt or stop being by this action removed from the cylinder-notches,said cylinder may be freely rotated. After loading, the hammer is forcedslightly rearward, when the spring it throws plug 0 out of hole 7., andthe hammer may be easily and safely lowered. The comb C is now returnedto its closed position, and the arm may be entered in a holster orpocket without fear of accidental discharge by the catching of thehammer-comb.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. Ahammer for small-arms(adapted to be I thumb-piece so attached to the body portion pivoted inthe frame A) having pivoted to its E that it may be folded against orwithin said upper portion a comb or thumb-piece which body portion ormay be opened for the purmay be folded against the hammer proper andpose of cooking or lowering the hammer by 15 5 Within or approximatelywithin thefraine out- I hand, and means for automatically returningline, snbstantially as described, and for the I the comb O to its closedposition, all substanobject set forth. tially as described,and for theobjects specified. 2. A hammer combining" the following cle- V SAMUEL S.HOPKINS. ments: the body portion E, adapted to be se- Vitnesses: curedpivotallyin frame A, and having a nose I FRANK H. ALLEN,

to engage and explode a cartridge, a comb or I TYLER J. HOWARD.

